The Government has announced a plan to eradicate rats, stoats and possums from Taranaki.
The Government will contribute $11 million of funding into Taranaki Taku Turanga, with the funding matched by a ratio of three to one by local government and other funders.
The project will span 4500 hectares of farmland surrounding the Taranaki/Egmont National Park.
There will be no physical barrier, but a virtual barrier will be created by a network of "intensive trapping".
"New Zealand has a predator crisis - 82 percent of native birds are threatened with, or at risk of extinction. We must invest in a comprehensive programme of predator control initiatives, to save Aotearoa's indigenous wildlife," said Conservation Minister Eugenie Sage.
The announcement comes after Government put an end-date on oil and gas exploration in the region.
In April, the Government announced the region would get $20 million from the Provincial Growth Fund, mostly to tourism enterprises.
The Government's investment in Predator Free 2050 will be $23.5 million over four years (November 2016 to June 2020.)
The Taranaki Taku Turanga Project is led by Taranaki Regional Council.
The Taranaki Mounga Project focuses on the national park and offshore islands and is a collaboration between DOC, eight Taranaki iwi, Next Foundation and others.
Newshub.
